In the lead-up to the Labor Department’s monthly employment report, President Donald Trump said Friday that he did not know who posted a graph he shared on social media earlier in the week, after the AP reported the graphic reflected confidential jobs figures that were not supposed to be released until the report came out. Trump’s comment came as the market awaited the scheduled 8:30 a.m. eastern release time.
The AP reported that Thursday night’s posting showed jobs data for December that were supposed to remain confidential until the Labor Department issued the report Friday. The posting, according to the AP, included unemployment figures and also reflected revisions that were scheduled to be released only with the monthly report.
The report described the jobs numbers as closely guarded because they can move financial markets when released. It also said Friday’s report contributed to a rise in stock prices and a slight decline in bond yields.
According to the AP report, the jobs figures showed unemployment edging down to 4.4% and a modest gain in jobs. The AP also said the reported data reflected hiring in December plus revisions to earlier months that were not supposed to be revealed until Friday morning.
The AP said early copies of the report are kept under lock and key at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, where the data are compiled. It said White House economic officials receive an advance copy each month on Thursday afternoon, sign agreements to keep the numbers confidential, and prepare a summary for the president.
Trump, speaking to reporters Friday afternoon, addressed how the posting occurred. He said, “I don’t know if they posted them,” and later added, “They gave me some numbers. When people give me things, I post them.”
The AP reported that the graphic Trump posted showed businesses added 654,000 positions since January, while government agencies at the federal, state and local levels had cut 181,000 jobs. The report also said those figures reflected hiring in December and revisions to previously released months.
In addition to discussing the unemployment rate and hiring numbers, the AP said Trump told reporters that “the numbers were amazing.” It also said the overall job gains last year were 584,000, characterized by the AP as the smallest annual increase outside of a recession since 2003, with “just over 2 million jobs” added in 2024.
Erica Groshen, a former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, said early disclosures can technically lead to fines and even jail time, though the AP said previous breaches typically were met with lighter consequences.